Because I Knew You
by vampirediva07
Summary: Glinda reflects on Elphaba's death and their time as friends before then.


**A/N: I realize that I do not own Wicked. Therefore, do not sue me because I can assure you that I have nothing and you will get nothing.**

_

* * *

Elphaba._ That name stung like a thousand fires beneath Glinda's skin. It had been nearly a month since her death and yet, the pain still felt as fresh as if it had happened just yesterday. Elphaba had been the only friend that had ever mattered to Glinda. They had met at Shiz University years earlier. Back when she was Galinda. By accident they had been placed as roommates, even though they loathed each other. Galinda noticed that Elphaba didn't really care for what others thought of her. She was confident in herself or at least appeared to be outwardly. Sometime later, a twist of fate landed them as friends. Galinda realized then and there that Elphaba was fierce about her beliefs. When a professor at the school was fired because he was a Goat, Elphaba decided to go directly to the Wizard of Oz himself to settle the matter of Animal treatment. In order to show support for her friend's cause, she changed her name to Glinda because that is what Doctor Dillamond, the fired professor, had always called her. 

Glinda smiled and mused at the thought of her school days with Elphaba. They had been quite the pair back then. When they had an audience with the Wizard, Elphaba let him know her beliefs and refused to help him read the Grimmerie after discovering he was the one behind the Animal rights being taken away. Glinda decided to not go with Elphaba and the two friends parted ways as Elphaba flew away on her broom. Shortly after, Glinda became Glinda the Good officially and Elphaba was labeled the Wicked Witch of the West. For years they were parted as Glinda worked for the Wizard and Elphaba fought against it. Eventually, Glinda was engaged to Fiyero, a boy she and Elphaba went to school with at Shiz. Things seemed to be going her way for a while, until Fiyero suddenly left one day. Glinda knew exactly why. He loved Elphaba and not her.

The two friends were reunited when a house was dropped onto Elphaba's sister, Nessarose. It was a bitter reunion tainted by anger and jealousy. Glinda had given away Nessa's shoes to the farm girl whose house dropped on Nessa. Elphaba was furious because they were her sister's shoes. At one point they charged at one another and began to fight, but it was shortly broken up by the Ozian Guard who were waiting nearby for Elphaba to show up. It seemed to Elphaba that it was all a set up to capture her. Fiyero swung down from a vine and rescued Elphaba, but was captured himself.

Glinda thought of this over and over in her head. She was racked with guilt for causing her best friend to lose the only one she had ever loved. _Oh Elphie, _she thought, _I wish you were here. I miss having you to talk to all the time. You are the only friend that I've ever had that meant something to me._ A tiny tear slipped from the corner of Glinda's eye and fell to her hand in her lap. Still more memories flooded her mind of her friend.

Everyone was hell bent on capturing Elphaba and bringing her to justice. A group of so called "witch hunters" set out for the castle where Elphaba was hiding. In her heart of hearts, Glinda knew that they were wrong. Everyone was wrong about her friend. Elphaba was the best person she ever knew.

Glinda sat on her bed, still thinking of Elphaba. One particular memory stung like fire in her eyes as she held back tears. It was of their goodbyes to one another just before the "witch hunters" arrived at the castle. Elphaba gave her the Grimmerie and told her to learn how to read it, for both of their sakes. She began singing.

_I've heard it said  
That people come into our lives for a reason  
Bringing something we must learn  
And we are led  
To those who help us most to grow  
If we let them  
And we help them in return  
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true  
But I know I'm who I am today  
Because I knew you:_

_Like a comet pulled from orbit  
As it passes a sun  
Like a stream that meets a boulder  
Halfway through the wood  
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?  
But because I knew you  
I have been changed for good_

Elphaba continued their song.

_It well may be  
That we will never meet again  
In this lifetime  
So let me say before we part  
So much of me  
Is made of what I learned from you  
You'll be with me  
Like a handprint on my heart  
And now whatever way our stories end  
I know you have re-written mine  
By being my friend:  
Like a ship blown from its mooring  
By a wind off the sea  
Like a seed dropped by a skybird  
In a distant wood  
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?  
But because I knew you_

_Because I knew you:_

Both of them smiled at one another. _I have been changed for good._

Elphaba looked at Glinda with tears in her eyes and continued.

_And just to clear the air  
I ask forgiveness  
For the things I've done you blame me for_

Glinda knew she shared the blame as well.

_But then, I guess we know  
There's blame to share_

_And none of it seems to matter anymore._

They began to sing simultaneously with one another the versus they had sung before.

(Glinda and Elphaba singing at the same time.)

_Like a comet pulled  
Fromorbit as it  
Passes a sun, like  
A stream that meets  
A boulder, half-way  
Through the wood_

_Like a ship blown  
Off it's mooring  
By a wind off the  
Sea, like a seed  
Dropped by a  
Bird in the wood_

_Who can say if I've been changed for the better?  
I do believe I have been changed for the better?_

Glinda sung, _And because I knew you:_

Elphaba shook her head and sang, _Because I knew you:_

_Because I knew you:  
I have been changed for good._

As they stopped singing, they embraced one another. Tears were brimming in Glinda's eyes. It really was goodbye for them. They heard the guards coming inside the castle and Elphaba quickly told Glinda to hide in order to save her from being discovered. From her safe hiding spot, Glinda watched as the guard entered and commotion ensued. She watched as her best friend was melted by a splash of water. Her heart wrenched as Elphaba melted before her eyes. Once everyone had left, Glinda came out of hiding to find only Elphaba's hat, the hat she had once given her as a gift, lying on the ground. Slowly and numbly she knelt at the hat and picked it up. Underneath it was a green glass bottle, Elphaba's bottle. Glinda cried at the sight of it because it was Elphie's most cherished possession as it belonged to her mother.

Since that night, she has held on to that bottle dearly as well as the Grimmerie. As she sat on her bed, she reached under the pillows and pulled out the green bottle. Gingerly, she held it in her hands. It reflected a soft green hue on her skin and she thought of Elphaba's own skin. _Elphie, I miss you. You changed me more than you realize. Because I knew you, I have been changed for good._

She slid the green bottle back under the pillow and laid down. As she slipped off to sleep, small tears trailed down her face and onto her pillows, leaving tear stains on her face. Glinda missed her friend dearly.

**

* * *

A/N: So, how did you like this? I intend for this to be a one shot, but if I recieve enough popular demand, I might continue this. So, if you like it and want it continued, review please. **


End file.
